Display fridge not cooling in your shop: what to check first

A display fridge is the product in a shop, a petrol-station store or a spaza. When it stops cooling, cold drinks, dairy and meat are at risk, and customers notice. The first few minutes matter. This is what to check and what to do.

First checks

• Is it plugged in and is the socket working? Test it with another device.
• Has the breaker tripped, or is there a power problem in the shop?
• Is the controller or thermostat set to the right temperature?
• Are the doors closing fully? A door ajar warms the whole cabinet.
• Is the stock blocking the air vents inside? Do not stack products against the back wall.
• Is the condenser at the bottom or back dusty or blocked?

Common causes

A dirty condenser

Display fridges sit in warm shops, often against a wall, and their condensers collect dust, grease and cobwebs. When the condenser cannot shed heat, the compressor overheats and cooling drops. Cleaning the coil, with the fridge switched off, is the single most useful job you can do.

A failed fan

There are fans on the evaporator and the condenser. If either stops, cold air stops circulating or heat stops leaving. You may hear that something has gone quiet.

A leaking door seal

Doors on a display fridge open dozens of times an hour, so seals wear. A leak lets warm, humid air in constantly.

A faulty controller or thermostat

Many display fridges have an electronic controller that shows the temperature. If it shows a wrong reading, the compressor may not run when it should. Replacing a controller is a common repair.

A compressor or a gas problem

If the compressor runs but the cabinet never cools, the sealed system may be low on gas, or the compressor may be failing. These need a technician.

Protect your stock

• Move dairy, meat and other perishable stock to a working fridge or a cooler with ice.
• Keep the doors shut while you wait.
• Do not keep switching it off and on.
• Take note of the temperature and how long it has been warm.

What it costs

Call-out fees start from R250 and depend on your area. Minor repairs, such as a controller, a fan or a seal, typically cost between R350 and R950. Major repairs start from R1,250. We diagnose first and tell you the fault and the cost before we start.

We repair display fridges, cold drink coolers and shop freezers across Durban. Call us with your suburb and what the fridge is doing, and we will arrange the earliest visit.